Drop leaf desk



Dec. 15, 1964 LA VERNE H. REINKE 3,161,161

DROP LEAF DESK Filed March 22, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 15, 1964 LA VERNE H. REINKE DROP LEAF DESK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 22, 1962 United States Patent 3,161,161 Dill)? LEAF DESK La Verne H. Retake, Fort Atkinson, Wis, assignor to Brunswick Qorporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 22, 1962, No. 131,739

8 Claims. (61. file-$1) This invention relates to furniture, and more particularly to a supporting latch mechanism for drop leaf furniture.

The primary object of this invention is to provide new and improved drop leaf furniture.

in recent years it has become apparent that there is an ever increasing need for greater flexibility in school equipment, and particularly in classroom equipment. With crowded classroom conditions prevalent in many parts of the country, efficient utilization of available classroom space is required. Most classrooms should be adaptable for various functions including lectures, small group work, and individual study. For lecture-type use a classroom may be required to accommodate many more students than during small group or individual study activities, but the same furniture normally remainsin the room irrespective of the current use of the room. Classroom'furniture as is presently available is generally insufficiently flexible to adequately meet such varying classroom requirements. While typical desk chairs are relatively small and suited for lecture hall use, they are impractical for common use by a group and generally have an inadequate work surface for individual study and afford practically no privacy. On the other hand, typical desks or tables require an excessive amount of room and reduce student capacity during lecture hall use, and afford practically no privacy for individual Work.

An important object of this invention is to provide a new and improved supporting mechanism for drop leaf furniture.

Another object is provision of a new and improved assembly in drop leaf furniture in which the leaf may be moved between a compact storage position depending from a stationary top, an extended work surface position generally coplanar with the top, and an elevated barrier position for affording privacy to a person working on the top.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent in the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention and illustrating a drop leaf desk with the leaf in expanded work surface position;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary elevational view from the drop leaf end of the desk in PEG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view taken gen- .erally along the line 3-3) of FIG. 2, with parts removed for clearer illustration, and with the drop leaf and supporting mechanismillustrated by dotted lines in both the compact and elevated barrier positions;

FIG. 4- is a bottom viewtaken generally line d-4l of FIGS. 2 and 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary vertical section taken generally along the line 5-5 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary vertical section taken generally along the line c e of MG. 4.

While an illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawings, and will be described in detail herein, the invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, and it should be understood that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not along the intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illus- "See trated. The scope of the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention is, in brief, directed to drop leaf furniture and a support for the drop leaf of a desk, table, or the like. This support is of such a nature that the drop leaf may be moved between a compact storage position depending from a stationary top of the furniture, through an extended work surface position generally coplanar with the top, and an elevated barrier position extending upwardly from the top to afford a degree of privacy for one working at the top. Thesupport depends from the top and is connected with the drop leaf so as to be substantially inconspicuous, and may be easily and conveniently operated from immediately adjacent the peripheral edge of the table. An extremely simple but effective construction provides an economical and durable support for retaining the drop leaf positioned in a stable manner.

Referring to PEG. 1 of the drawings, a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the form of a drop leaf desk having a'frame including a plurality of legs Till supponting a stationary desk top ill with a book rack 12 along the rear of the top. A drop leaf 13 is mounted on an end of top 15' for movement between various positions. As may best be seen in FIG. 3, drop leaf l3 isv adjustable between a compact storage position depending generally vertically from top 11, as shown in dotted lines, an extended work surface position generally coplanar with top ll, as shown in solid lines and in FIG. 1, and an, elevated, generally vertical barrier position extending upwardly from top ll. Drop leaf 13 may be selectively retained in these positions by a supporting mechanism 14. mounted on top 11 and connected with drop leaf 13, with latching means here in the form of a detent mechanism 15 for holding the top positioned as desired.

in the illustrated embodiment drop leaf 13 is pivotally mounted on top 11 by a hinge 1.6 having leaves secured, respectively, to an edge portion 17 of the periphery of top lll and to an edge portion 18 of drop leaf 13 extending along top edge 17. Edges i7 and it; are both in the form of undercut bevels, as may best be seen in H6. 5, so that the desk has a smooth end edge in both compact and barrier positions. It should be noted that hinge 16 extends almost the entire distance across top if, and is of a type. generally known, as a piano hinge, to provide a more stable construction and an extended work surface which is relatively smooth and devoid of any gaps.

movement between these links. An end of second link 23 is pivotally connected with drop leaf ld'by a bracket means 2 5 secured to a face it? of the drop leaf generally coplanar with lower face 2-2 of top ll when the leaf is aligned with the top in extended work surface position.

More particularly, first link it) is snugly received between opposed depending bracket plates 3% and 31 having bases 32 and 33 secured to top ill. With reference to FIG. 2, it will be seen that plates 50 and 31 have offset portions 30a and 31a, respectively, adjacent lower face 22, thereby providing a stronger bracket and providing a substantial mounting for a portion of the detent device, as will be apparent hereinafter.

The previously mentioned latch means includes cooperating portions of the detent mechanism 15 and link 2d. As may best be seen in FIG. 5, an end of link 2%) This detent is provided by a detent rod 41, and more particularly an end of a shank portion 42 of the rod, and is received in aligned openings in offset portions a and 31(1 of the bracket plates. At the opposite end of shank 42 the rod has a handle portion 44 in the form of a loop having offset portions 45 generally parallel to and closely underlying top 11, and a handle 46 depending from offset portions 45 and spaced a substantial distance below top lower face 22 adjacent the front peripheral edge 47 of top 11 so that the detent may be easily and conveniently actuated by a person standing or sitting in normal position adjacent the front of the desk. A mounting plate secured to and depending from top lower face 22 retains detent rod 41 on top 11 and limits movement of the rod in the direction of its shank. This plate is in the form of a main portion 50 secured to top 11 as by screws 50a, and includes laterally extending offset wing portions 50b underlying handle portions 45, as well as a rearwardly extending offset body 51 underlying handle portions 45, and vertical flanges 52 and 53 spaced apart in the direction of shank 42 and embracing opposite sides of offsets 45 to confine this offset and limit movement of the detent rod so that its detent 40 is always retained in the opening in offset portion 30a of bracket plate 30.

A resilient means is provided for moving detent rod 41 so as to urge its detent 40 into latching engagement with one of the cooperating holes -37 of first link 20. In the illustrated embodiment this resilient means is in the form of a spring 55 having an intermediate spiral portion 56 freely received on a pin 57 depending from top 11, and opposite arms including an arm 58 with a transverse end 59 engaging an offset 45, and an opposite arm 60 with a transverse portion 61 engaging a generally vertical portion of mounting plate 50.

Thus, to adjust drop leaf 13, it is merely necessary to pull handle 46 outwardly toward front edge 47 of desk top 11, thereby releasing detent from one of the openings 35-37 in link 20 so that drop leaf 13 may be selectively positioned. With drop leaf 13 in any of its positions, handle 53 may be released so that detent 40 is received in the selected opening 35-37 to firmly hold the drop leaf selectively positioned.

I claim:

1. Drop leaf furniture comprising, a generally horizontal stationary top having a lower face and an undercut beveled edge, a drop leaf having a lower face and an undercut beveled edge extending along said top beveled edge, means hingedly mounting said leaf on said top for movement of said leaf between a compact position depending from said top, a Work surface position generally coplanar with said top and an elevated position extending upwardly from said top, means for selectively and releasably holding said leaf in any of said positions including bracket means having spaced plates secured to and depending from said top, a pair of pivotally connected first and second link members having opposite ends, said first link member being snugly received between and pivotally connected with said bracket plates and said second link member being pivotally connected with said leaf, latch means including a detent mechanism and cooperating openings in said first link for releasably retaining said leaf in selected position, said detent mechanism including a detent rod having a shank generally parallel said beveled edges and underlying said top, an end of said shank slidably extending through at least one of said bracket plates and one of said link openings, and an opposite end of said shank near the periphery of said top having a loop including an offset at said shank and defining a handle spaced downwardly a substantial distance from said top face, a mounting plate secured to said top and underlying said loop to retain the shank on the top, flanges spaced apart in the direction of said shank and extending from the body toward the top face and receiving the loop offset therebetween for limiting movement of said detent rod in the direction of said shank, and resilient means urging said detent into one of said link openings.

2. Drop leaf furniture comprising, a generally horizontal stationary top having an upper work surface and an undercut beveled edge, a drop leaf having a work surface and an undercut beveled edge extending along said top beveled edge, means hingedly mounting said leaf on said top for pivotal movement of said leaf in opposite directions into and out of a compact position depending generally vertically from said top, a work surface position in which said work surfaces are generally coplanar, and an elevated barrier position extending generally vertically upwardly from said top, and means operable from another edge of said top for releasably locking said leaf against pivotal movement in both directions relative to said top in each of said positions.

3. Drop leaf furniture comprising, a generally horizontal stationary top having an edge, a drop leaf, means pivotally mounting said leaf on said top along said edge for movement of said leaf in opposite directions into and out of positions generally vertical and generally coplanar with said top, and means operable from another edge of said top for selectively and releasably locking said leaf against pivotal movement in both directions relative to said top in each of said positions.

4. Drop leaf furniture comprising, a generally horizontal stationary top having a lower face, a drop leaf, means hingedly mounting said leaf on said top along an edge of the top for movement of said leaf between positions depending from said top, coplanar with said top, and extending upwardly from said top, means selectively and releasably holding said leaf in any of said positions and including a bracket having spaced plates generally normal said edge and secured to and depending from said top lower face, at least one of said plates having a portion offset away from the other plate adjacent said top, a pair of pivotally connected first and second rigid links, said first link being snugly received between and pivotally connected with said bracket plates and said second link being pivotally connected with said leaf, latch means including a detent mechanism and cooperating portions of said first link for releasably retaining said links in selected position, said detent mechanism including a detent rod having a shank generally parallel said edge and underlying said top, said shank having an end defining a detent slidably extending through said one plate offset, an offset at an opposite end of said shank and a handle spaced downwardly a substantial distance from said top face at another edge of said top, a mounting plate secured to said top and having a portion underlying said rod offset to retain the rod on the top, said mounting plate having abutment means spaced apart in the direction of said shank and extending toward the top face and receiving the shank offset therebetween for limiting movement of said rod in the direction of said shank, said first link cooperating portions being defined by openings, one corresponding to each of said leaf positions, and selectively and releasably receiving said detent, and resilient means urging said detent into latching engagement with said first link and including a spring acting between said offset and said mounting plate.

5. Drop leaf furniture comprising, a generally horizontal stationary top, a drop leaf, means pivotally mounting said leaf on said top for movement of said leaf in opposite directions into and out of positions transverse to and extending vertically upwardly and downwardly from said top and coplanar with said top, linkage means releasably holding said leaf in any of said positions, said linkage means including a first link connected with said top and a second link connected with said leaf, means connecting said first and second links, one of said links having indexable detent means corresponding to said positions, and manually operable means engaging said detent means for releasably locking said leaf against pivotal movement in both directions relative to said top in said vertically upward and in said coplanar position.

6. In a drop leaf desk, a stationary desk top, a drop leaf pivotally mounted to one edge of the top for movement relative thereto in opposite directions into and out of positions coplanar with and normal to the top, and means for releasably locking the leaf against pivotal movement in both directions relative to said top in a selected position comprising a disc indexably mounted beneath thetop, linkage connecting the disc with the leaf to index the former on movement of the latter, apertures in the disc corresponding respectively to the leaf positions, and a plunger reciprocably mounted beneath the top and manually selectively positionable in the apertures to lock theleaf in each selected position.

7. Drop leaf furniture comprising, a generally horizontal stationary top having an edge, a drop leaf extending alongside said edge, means hingedly mounting said leaf on said top for pivotal movement relative thereto in opposite directions into and out of positions coplanar with and normal to andabove and below said top, linkage means releasably holding said leaf in any of said positions, said linkage means including a first link connected with said top and a second link connected with said leaf, means connecting said first and second links, one of said links having indexable detent means corresponding to said coplanar position and to said position normal to and below said top, and means operable from another edge of said top engaging said detent means for releasably locking said leaf against pivotal movement in both directions relative to said top in each selected position.

8. Drop leaf furniture comprising: a generally horizontal stationary top having a lower face and an undercut beveled edge; a drop leaf having a lower face and an undercut beveled edge extending along said top beveled 6 edge; means hingedly mounting said leaf on said top for pivotal movement of said leaf in opposite directions into and out of a compact position depending from said top, a work surface position generally coplanar with said top, and an elevated position extending upwardly from said top; means for selectively and releasably locking said leaf against pivotal movement in either direction relative to said top'in at least two of said positions including a bracket secured to and depending from said top, a pair of pivotally connected first and second link members, said first link member being pivotally connected with said bracket and said second link member being pivotally connected with said leaf, latch means including a detent mechanism and cooperating openings in said first link for releasably locking said leaf in selected position, said detent mechanism including a detent rod having a shank generally parallel said beveled edges and underlying said top, means mounting said shank so that an end thereof is selectively slidably extendable through one of said link openings to lock said leaf in one of said two positions,

and an opposite end of said shank near the periphery of said top having a handle for manual operation of said detent rod.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. DROP LEAF FURNITURE COMPRISING, A GENERALLY HORIZONTAL STATIONARY TOP HAVING A LOWER FACE AND AN UNDERCUT BEVELED EDGE, A DROP LEAF HAVING A LOWER FACE AND AN UNDERCUT BEVELED EDGE EXTENDING ALONG SAID TOP BEVELED EDGE, MEANS HINGEDLY MOUNTING SAID LEAF ON SAID TOP FOR MOVEMENT OF SAID LEAF BETWEEN A COMPACT POSITION DEPENDING FROM SAID TOP, A WORK SURFACE POSITION GENERALLY COPLANAR WITH SAID TOP AND AN ELEVATED POSITION EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM SAID TOP, MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY AND RELEASABLY HOLDING SAID LEAF IN ANY OF SAID POSITIONS INCLUDING BRACKET MEANS HAVING SPACED PLATES SECURED TO AND DEPENDING FROM SAID TOP, A PAIR OF PIVOTALLY CONNECTED FIRST AND SECOND LINK MEMBERS HAVING OPPOSITE ENDS, SAID FIRST LINK MEMBER BEING SNUGLY RECEIVED BETWEEN AND PIVOTALLY CONNECTED WITH SAID BRACKET PLATES AND SAID SECOND LINK MEMBER BEING PIVOTALLY CONNECTED WITH SAID LEAF, LATCH MEANS INCLUDING A DETENT MECHANISM AND COOPERATING OPENINGS IN SAID FIRST LINK FOR RELEASABLY RETAINING SAID LEAF IN SELECTED POSITION, SAID DETENT MECHANISM INCLUDING A DETENT ROD HAVING A SHANK GENERALLY PARALLEL SAID BEVELED EDGES AND UNDERLYING SAID TOP, AN END OF SAID SHANK SLIDABLY EXTENDING THROUGH AT LEAST ONE OF SAID BRACKET PLATES AND ONE OF SAID LINK OPENINGS, AND AN OPPOSITE END OF SAID SHANK NEAR THE PERIPHERY OF SAID TOP HAVING A LOOP INCLUDING AN OFFSET AT SAID SHANK AND DEFINING A HANDLE SPACED DOWNWARDLY A SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCE FROM SAID TOP FACE, A MOUNTING PLATE SECURED TO SAID TOP AND UNDERLYING SAID LOOP TO RETAIN THE SHANK ON THE TOP, FLANGES SPACED APART IN THE DIRECTION OF SAID SHANK AND EXTENDING FROM THE BODY TOWARD THE TOP FACE AND RECEIVING THE LOOP OFFSET THEREBETWEEN FOR LIMITING MOVEMENT OF SAID DETENT ROD IN THE DIRECTION OF SAID SHANK, AND RESILIENT MEANS URGING SAID DETENT INTO ONE OF SAID LINK OPENINGS. 